Chapter Twenty
It was a dream within a dream. Harper hardly heard the words of the priest as she gazed upon her grinning groom. He leaned toward her, his smile highlighting his dimples, and she could barely catch her breath. He was so handsome. Dying in a dungeon had not been her fate. This was. Gazing into the eyes of a man she could love the rest of her life, a man who would love her in return.
The priest cleared his throat. “Do ye?” he prompted her.
“Oh yes,” she responded happily.
And they were wed.
Daimh left her side only to bring her food and drink. The others danced and ate and sipped wine, the hall bursting with joy. After a few hours of revelry, Daimh took hold of her hand and, amid cheers and shouts, led her up the steps to what was now their chamber.
Closing the door, he stood with his back against it, just looking at her. Harper could feel the blush bringing color to her cheeks. A sigh and he took the few steps over to her, swept her in his arms, and gently laid her on the bed.
With his hands and his mouth, he worshiped her body and she returned the pleasures with her own hands and mouth. And when their bodies merged as one, she felt complete for the first time in her life. How could she have ever doubted the magic Skye had spoken of?
***
Dozing in contentment, Harper snuggled closer to her husband—her husband—reveling in the feel of his strong, beautiful body. It was pure bliss.
Suddenly, someone was knocking on their chamber door.
Daimh was up in a flash, cursing, annoyed if not downright angry at the intrusion, and wrapped his tartan around him. He cracked open the door as Harper pulled the linen cover up to her neck.
Eilidh stood trembling, weeping, at the entry. “Forgive me. Forgive me. She has him.”
Daimh put an arm over the woman’s shoulders, trying to calm her and have her make sense. “Speak plainly.”
Inhaling on a sob, she shook her head. “Thomas. Iona is at the loch, and she has taken the lad, threatening to kill him unless ye denounce Lady Harper and agree to marry her.”
Hearing this, Harper jumped from the bed and grabbed her clothes. She was beside Daimh in a heartbeat and together they followed Eilidh down the steps and out into the courtyard. They were quiet, unwilling to rouse others and expose the lad to public scrutiny.
Darkness laden with heavy mist cloaked their movements as they approached the gate. Challenged by a guard, Daimh raised his hand and just asked the gates to be opened. Unwilling to disobey, the guards did as told, and the three walked quickly away from the castle, Eilidh leading the way.
Iona sat on the opposite bank of the loch, speaking with Thomas who was rubbing at his sleepy eyes. At their approach, Iona stood and grabbed the lad, pressing him against her.
Loading the two women into a craft, Daimh rowed across in mere minutes and jumped out, moving cautiously to Iona and Thomas, the other two at his heels. Thomas jumped up to greet them, but Iona pulled him back down, her hand holding him firmly in place.
Iona pointed at Harper. “She needs to go.”
“Give me me brother.” Daimh spoke softly, but there was steel in his tone. Thomas struggled to get free, but Iona tightened her grip. “Stop squirming,” she demanded.
“Make her leave,” Iona repeated.
“Iona, give me me brother. Now.”
“Nay. I will drown him first so I can hurt ye the way ye hurt me.”
“I did nae mean to hurt ye, but ye cannae take it out on the lad. Step away from him and we can talk about this.”
“Will ye marry me?” Iona demanded.
“If that is what ye need, I will send Harper away.”
Although Harper knew he was saying the words only to gain the release of Thomas, it was unpleasant to hear. But she knew she needed to help.
“I will go. Give Thomas to his brother and I will go away, and you and Daimh can be together,” Harper said, trying to sound convincing.
“Ye lie,” Iona spat. “Nay. Ye will both suffer for what ye’ve done.”
“Iona,” Eilidh interjected. “Release the boy.”
“As if I would listen to ye. Ye hae always loved him more than me. Nay. Ye will all suffer as I hae.”
With that, Iona moved closer to the water, dragging the boy with her. Then, angling her body for leverage, she lifted Thomas and tossed him into the loch. The water was not deep, but Harper feared the child couldn’t swim.
Letting out a cry of anguish, Harper raced forward, cutting in front of Daimh, and jumped into the loch next to where Thomas flailed in the icy water. Eilidh screamed as Daimh splashed into the water behind Harper. Reaching Thomas instantly, Harper lifted his chin and he actually grinned at her.
“So verra cold,” he said, his teeth chattering.
“It is. Come, let’s go and get warm.” Harper wrapped her arm across his chest and swam toward the bank, lifting him out into Daimh’s arms. Daimh immediately cradled him and wrapped him in his plaid, then reached over to help Harper out of the loch. Pulling her against him, he hurried them both into the woods to Eilidh’s cottage.
Daimh quickly stoked the fire as Thomas and Harper huddled together, warding off the chill. Without a word, Daimh was out the door, his running footsteps only obvious by the sound of breaking twigs.
***
Daimh found Iona and her mother on the crest of a grassy knoll just above the loch. Squinting in the early morning light, he could see the women talking. Eilidh’s pleas for Iona to come back and face her punishment reached Daimh’s ears. Iona violently shook her head.
He stalked forward, intent on capturing Iona, though he could not promise what he would do when he actually laid his hands on her. She had bargained away Harper to the Gordons for her own selfish gain and jealousy and nearly cost Harper her life. The thought of his love being raped, tortured, and murdered was enough to drive him mad with rage. And then the witch had tried to drown Thomas. A child!
He watched as Iona slammed both her hands into her mother, forcing the older woman to fall to the ground. Then Iona took off running, looking over her shoulder to see she wasn’t followed. Suddenly, she stumbled and fell forward, disappearing into the tall grass. Daimh came upon her, sprawled on her belly, her head at an awkward angle on a stone. Her lifeless eyes stared at nothing and a small amount of blood seeped from her temple. Eilidh rushed past him and fell to her knees next to her daughter, a cry erupting from her throat.
Tears rolled down Eilidh’s cheeks and when she lifted her gaze to him, her expression was bleak with sorrow. “Forgive me. I had no idea she would go to such lengths. I would ne’er have let her near the lad if I’d thought…” She broke down crying and Daimh patted her on the back.
“I do nay blame ye. It is over. Come, I will take ye back to the cottage.” And yes, it was over. Harper and Thomas were safe and Harper had shown herself to be strong and courageous. Why, she even jumped into the water to save Thomas when most wummen could nae even swim. His wife was one of a kind.
Eilidh shuffled behind him and when they reached her house, she rushed inside to cradle Thomas.
“He is warm now and fine. He was very brave,” Harper said, trying to reassure the older woman.
“And so were ye,” Daimh said, his tone reflecting his amazement. “Ye did not even think before risking yerself to save him.”
“It was nothing,” she responded. “I love Thomas and I cannot imagine him being harmed. Besides, we both needed a bath, right Thomas?”
The boy looked skeptical but managed a giggle.
Daimh turned to Eilidh. “I will send some men to retrieve your daughter and see her buried.” Harper looked up at him in question. All he could do was shake his head. Iona was gone, no longer a threat to those he loved.
Eilidh nodded her thanks and held out the boy to Daimh, who took him in his arms. “Will ye be strong now while I take the lady back to the castle to get fresh clothes. And later, we can go riding. Would ye like that?”
“Ride horse?” Thomas shook his hands with excitement and had clearly forgotten his recent ordeal now that horseback riding was in the offering.
“Aye.”
When Daimh and Harper were back in the small boat, he let out a sigh. “I wish there was a way to free him.”
“Do you think there’s any way the clan will ever accept him?”
“Nay. And I canna subject him to abuse. He hae suffered enough.”
“Then we will have to love him enough for a clan.”
“I love ye, wife.”
“And I love you, husband.”